Teaching Observations
Get professional, respectful, and confidential feedback on your teaching from experienced instructors from other disciplines.
Each fall and spring semester, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) coordinates teaching observations to help instructors gain additional perspective on their teaching. Teaching observations provide professional, respectful, and confidential feedback designed to support instructional growth and self-awareness.
Teaching observations are available to all faculty members, including tenure-track, fixed-term, adjunct, and newly hired instructors. While all faculty members are welcome to participate, new faculty are especially encouraged to take advantage of this professional development opportunity.
Faculty are encouraged to include participation in the teaching observation program in their annual professional development reports and other documentation of teaching growth.
What to Expect
The teaching observation process is developmental rather than evaluative and is intended to support your ongoing growth as an instructor.
The process includes four steps:
-
Request a teaching observation
-
Meet with the CETL Program Coordinator for a consultation
-
Participate in a classroom observation
-
Receive a confidential observation report
Observation requests may be submitted at any time during the academic year. Classroom observations are typically conducted between Weeks 4 and 12 of the fall and spring semesters. Requests received after Week 12 will generally be scheduled for the following semester.
Confidentiality
The Teaching Observation Program is guided by the principles of professional respect, growth, and confidentiality.
- The observation process treats instructors with professional respect.
- The observation process promotes teaching growth and self-awareness.
- All consultations, conversations, observation notes, and reports remain confidential between the instructor and CETL staff.
- Observation reports are provided directly to the instructor and are not shared with department chairs, deans, supervisors, or review committees unless requested by the instructor.
Request a Teaching Observation
Teaching Observation Process
Request a teaching observation
To begin the process, schedule a consultation through the teaching observation booking site.
During the scheduling process, you will be asked to provide basic information about your course and select a time for a 30-minute consultation with the CETL Program Coordinator.
Consultation
During the consultation, the instructor and the program coordinator will discuss:
-
-
-
Course goals and learning outcomes
-
Course structure and curriculum
-
Your teaching methods and instructional practices
-
Characteristics of your students and learning environment
-
Review the student feedback survey
-
Specific areas of your teaching on which you would like feedback
-
-
Together, the instructor and the program coordinator will identify observation priorities, establish goals, and dates for the classroom visit.
Following the consultation, the program coordinator will assign CETL staff members to conduct the classroom visit.
Classroom Observation
CETL staff members will attend one class session and observe as unobtrusively as possible.
Observation notes will focus on the instructional goals and teaching practices discussed during the consultation, including areas where the instructor requested feedback.
During the final 10 minutes of the class session, the observer will briefly introduce themselves and invite students to complete an anonymous feedback survey. Student feedback will be incorporated into the observation report to provide additional perspective on the learning experience.
Debrief and Observation Report
Following the observation, CETL will provide a confidential report summarizing:
-
-
- Observation notes
- Student feedback themes
- Instructional strengths
- Opportunities for reflection and growth
-
The report will be provided to the instructor for their records. Instructors can also discuss the feedback and ask questions by requesting a debrief meeting with CETL staff using the Teaching Observation Bookings site.
